The Taliban government of Afghanistan has chosen to skip a crucial global summit focused on the education of Muslim girls, held in Pakistan. The event, which aims to address educational challenges for girls in Muslim-majority countries, has drawn education leaders from across the globe, but Afghanistan’s absence was notable. Pakistan’s Education Minister, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, confirmed that an invitation was extended to the Afghan government, but no representatives attended the conference.
This summit is particularly significant given Afghanistan’s status as the only country in the world where girls are banned from attending school beyond the sixth grade. Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, the government has imposed severe restrictions on women’s rights, including barring them from education past grade six and excluding them from many employment opportunities. The Taliban has also enforced strict dress codes for women, requiring full-body coverings and face veils in public.
During his opening remarks at the summit, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized the importance of education for girls, saying that denying them education is akin to denying their voice, choices, and future. He acknowledged that countries in the Muslim world, including Pakistan, face considerable challenges in providing equal educational opportunities for girls.
Notable attendees at the summit include Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai, an education activist who survived an assassination attempt by the Pakistan Taliban in 2012. Malala, who has been a staunch advocate for girls’ education globally, is set to address the summit on Sunday. Her presence underscores the critical issue of gender equality in education, particularly in regions like Afghanistan, where such rights are heavily restricted.
